Always meant to Be
by magan bagan
Summary: Edward finds Bella at a different time in her life. The bloodlust is almost uncontrollable. He wants to leave, but can't seem to pull himself away. They both seem to call for each other. What does this mean? Where does this put them for their future?
1. Such an intoxicating Scent

I don't own Twilight. all Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

Chapter One

Such an Intoxicating Scent

It was a typical morning, nothing truly out of the ordinary. I had gone for a run and decided to hunt. When I had had my fill, I settled down under a particularly nice tree and stared at my surroundings. Living in Alaska was freeing, at least, as a vampire, it much less tempting.

People were few and far between, and we were pretty much left to ourselves.

As I took in my surroundings, I smelt something that literally knocked me senseless. It was the most heavenly scent I had ever encountered, and it caused the venom to flow and pool in my mouth instantly. I tried to swallow it back and forget about it, I had gotten enough blood on my hunt.

To my dismay, the scent persisted; got stronger even. It taunted my senses without mercy. Instinct overpowered logic, and I couldn't take it anymore. The smell was like a siren's call to me and I was too weak to resist. I took off in search of the owner, giving myself over to my senses.

I knew it probably wasn't a good idea for me to go in search of the smell, just thinking about it made my throat burn and ache with hunger, but I couldn't ignore it any longer.

As I got closer to the scent I crouched down, preparing to pounce. Just as I was about to attack my prey I saw a small child curled into a tight ball.

I paused, barely able to stop myself. I could hardly believe it, that such an amazingly luscious scent was coming from something so small. An insignificant child?

To keep myself under control I took a deep breath in and held it. Stopping the flow of the scent to my senses was my only option. I saw the child strewn out on the ground, tears streaming down her face and her long brown hair pulled back in a tie. She couldn't have been any more than three or four years old.

Her skin was so pale; I could see her blood flowing through the thin membrane.

Eventually she turned in my direction and I was struck by her big brown eyes. They were so deep and a rich chocolate brown. It felt as though she could see right into my soul as I could see into hers. She continued sobbing.

I tried to listen to her thoughts, get into her head, but she was completely silent to me. I couldn't hear a single word. Giving up that form of communication I took a slow step toward her. "Hello there, little one. What are you doing all the way out here?"

She sniffled, wiping her nose with the sleeve of her shirt, seeming transfixed by me. "I want go home." Her voice was so soft and tiny.

"Are your mommy and daddy here?" I looked around, hoping to maybe find some trace of the humans, anywhere.

She let out another sob. "They no wake up. They go asleep and no wake up." Her tiny body shook violently from the tears racking her body.

Detecting no other heartbeats within range, it was safe to assume the child was completely alone out here on the side of this mountain, but how did she get here? Pushing past the call of her blood and tightly reigning in my control, I inhaled again and fanned my senses over the immediate area. I could detect the smell of fuel, torn metals & burnt materials. Another inhale, and I caught the unmistakable stench of death.

A plane crash perhaps? There was no other logical assumption to make. This part of the country was practically inaccessible to humans. There would be no other way she could have ended up here, but I could not investigate it now. I needed to get this child out of the cold.

"My name is Edward. What's your name, little one?" I couldn't stand to see her crying.

"B...Bella," she managed to get out.

A grin spread across my face. Bella. What a beautiful name. I took in a fresh gulp of air, ignoring the burning in my throat. I refused to harm this innocent child, no matter how tempting her blood was to me.

_Focus._

"It is freezing out here. I know you aren't supposed to go off with strangers, but I promise to take you somewhere warm."

Her fragile body shook. "No, you lie."

I put on my most sincere smile, trying not to frighten the child. "I promise I won't hurt you. I just want to get you out of the snow. Aren't you cold Bella?"

Bella rubbed the tears from her eyes and eventually got up, wobbling over to me. She held her arms up for me to pick her up.

I took great care with her, being extra careful not to squeeze her too tightly, and carefully tucked her into my jacket to keep her warm. The heat from her body made me shudder in response; I had never felt anything like it before.

I ran back to the house, doing everything I could to ignore the beautiful aroma radiating from the child in my arms. She smelled heavenly.

The pull I felt toward her so quickly was strange to me. My natural instincts were begging me to drink, to taste that amazingly sweet smelling blood, but my heart was screaming at me not to. For a short time, I had rebelled and lived on human blood, but I gave that up and went back to Carlisle's vision. Hearing the thoughts of my prey just before killing them became too much to bear, an overwhelming pain that I could longer handle.

Carlisle was the one who turned me all of those years ago when I was dying from the Spanish Influenza. He became like a father to me and was the kindest man I had ever come across.

The others slowly entered our lives after that. His wife Esme came next, Rosalie, and then Emmett. Alice and Jasper appeared to us one day out of the blue and instantly became a part of the family.

We may not be a traditional family, but we are a family nonetheless. After spending decades together, what else could you expect of our close knit bond?

Everyone was at the door before I even had a chance to shut it. Carlisle and Esme, my adoptive parents, were the first that I saw. _Be careful. Alice is in a panic. _

But Alice, my favorite, yet sometimes annoying sister, was the first to speak out loud. "Edward, what on earth were you thinking?" Of course she'd already seen everything.

"I don't know Alice, I was thinking maybe we could all have a party and feast on her," I said rather annoyed with her. "It was freezing outside, and I didn't think leaving her in the snow was the right thing to do."

The others looked back and forth at us, trying to figure out what we were talking about.

I unzipped my jacket and revealed Bella in my arms. Her blood was literally driving me insane. It was taking all of my strength not to bite her.

_Maybe you should put her down and take a few steps away, Edward. _Alice thought.

Nodding, I gently placed Bella on the floor and stepped away from her. Her little heart beat picked up when she saw me leave her.

_She's human, Edward. _Emmett and Jasper hissed.

Bella flinched, obviously terrified.

Esme looked up at me, shocked, and Rosalie glared.

"Everyone relax," Carlisle instructed them. "Edward, please tell us what exactly is going on," he requested. He was the most practiced of us all at resisting the temptation of blood and could keep a level head in any situation. He truly was remarkable.

"Her name is Bella," I told them.

I quickly explained what had taken place that morning, leading up to finding Bella. All the while she had found her way back to me and was hugging my leg. I looked to Esme, silently begging her to take Bella away from me.

"Well hello there, precious," Esme, bless her, could never make anyone feel uncomfortable around her. She was always bubbling over with love and compassion. "My name is Esme." She picked Bella up in her arms.

"Hi." Bella waved her tiny little hand at Esme, seeming to relax a little.

I took in a clean breath of fresh air when I moved to the doorway by the living room. Her scent made it difficult for me to concentrate or even think.

I was pretty sure that there was a conversation going on between Esme, Carlisle, and Bella, but I didn't hear a word of it.

Emmett and Jasper had calmed down, leaving the room to give us some privacy.

Before Rosalie left she turned her glare on me one last time. _How could you bring this human here? A child she may be, but she's a danger to us Edward. You'll get us all killed._

Alice's visions were flipping through her mind like an old cartoon flip book and I was having trouble not falling over as she allowed me to be privy to them. They all consisted of Bella, starting from her at this age and working up to her as a teenager.

The last couple I saw were of me and Bella. One was of Bella in her teenage years, with wavy brown hair down the middle of her back, and her big brown eyes even more hypnotizing than they are now. She was lying next to a guy in a meadow and slowly leaned over to him. It took me a second to realize the guy was me.

The last one, Bella was even paler than normal, her features beautifully accentuated. She was laughing and hugging on to me, a wedding band on her ring finger. She opened her eyes and they were blood red.

"Enough!" I screamed at Alice, "I don't want to see anymore."

Carlisle and Esme looked between us, trying to calm down Bella's little whimpers.

_I'm sorry. I can't control them, you know that. That is where your future will lead Edward. _A satisfied smirk graced her pixie like face. _I must say, I've never seen you look so happy._

"No. I will not allow that to happen." I clenched my mouth shut. I tried to ignore the fact that I felt empty once she let go of me.

_You found her for a reason Edward. It isn't just coincidence that you came across her in the middle of nowhere. _Alice smirked at me again. "Something tells me we better go shopping, Esme. She's going to need a lot."

I shook my head in confusion. "What-" I just switched the arrangement of the words here.

"Bella is going to stay with us, Edward." Carlisle put his hand on my shoulder reassuringly. "Until we can figure out what else to do." _Her blood is really strong for you isn't it? _

Nodding almost imperceptibly I looked into his eyes, trying to convey what I was feeling to him.

_If this is going to be too difficult for you we can work something else out. _Carlisle suggested. He knew I was extremely practiced at resisting my urges, but this siren call was almost too much.

Shaking my head again I pinched the bridge of my nose between my thumb and forefinger. "I'm fine."

As I turned to leave, that sweet little innocent voice cried out, stopping me in my tracks.

"Eggwart, no leave me." Bella had a newly formed tear in her eye. She struggled out of Esme's arms and ran over to me.

My resolve nearly crumbled. Her pleading broke my heart and I reached out for her. "I'm not leaving you little one," I whispered so only she could hear me. That smell, so enticing.

She buried her face in my chest and clung to me. "Stay," she murmured, her words slightly muffled by my shirt. Her breathing slowed down after a few minutes as she fell asleep in my arms. "What am I going to do?" I looked to Carlisle and Esme.

Esme touched her hand to my cheek. "Edward you are a wonderful man. I know that whatever this is, you will do the right thing." So compassionate, I didn't deserve her kind words.

I smiled at her. "Thanks, Mom." I kissed her cheek.

Carlisle gingerly patted Bella's back. _Don't do anything that you can't handle Edward. _

"Thank you, Carlisle." I nodded, trying not to wake her.

Alice and Esme left to go shopping. Rosalie was in the garage working on her car and Emmett and Jasper were out hunting. Carlisle was in his study.

It was silent in the house except for Bella's steady heart beat. What was this little girl doing to me? I was a mess already and she had only been in my life for a matter of an hour.

Quickly I made my way up the stairs and brought Bella into Carlisle and Esme's room. I figured she could sleep comfortably in their bed. As gently as I could, I laid her down in the middle portion of the bed and covered her with a quilt.

I stood over by the door and watched her as she slept. It had been nearly a hundred years since I had seen someone sleep, and she was absolutely fascinating. Her tiny little body was curled in a ball.

Her breathing was so slow and every once in awhile she'd mumble something. For the most part it was incoherent, and that's when she said it.

"Eggwart."

My frozen heart almost started beating again at the sound of her voice saying my name. How could I be so thrilled by that? If anything, I should be angry that I let myself get so close to her. My family and I were a danger to her.

Keeping her here because I was intrigued by her was the most selfish thing I could imagine doing. I knew without a doubt that Esme and Alice were already attached, so not taking care of her probably was not an option.

And the thought of being separated from her was already almost unbearable to me.

I watched her sleep the rest of the morning away and finally went downstairs to get away from that glorious scent. I had to clear my head.

Now that Esme and Alice had seen her, there was no way they'd give her up. I knew that was a lost cause, not that I'd be too willing to see her go either.

She'd managed to turn everything in my world upside down in a matter of hours. Being able to control myself was going to be a challenge, but I would have to force myself. For her. There was no other option.

* * *

Thank you to my fabulous beta **ECullenitis** for helping me make this story the best that it can be.


	2. Raising a human Child

_At long last, here's the next chapter for you._

I don't own Twilight. all Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

Chapter Two

Raising A Human Child

As I left Bella to sleep, I realized that I needed to get some information on who she was, her parents, relatives, anything that could help us figure out where to go from here.

Carlisle came in from talking to Rosalie in the garage. "Is everything alright, Edward?"

"Forgive me, but would you keep an eye on Bella for a little while? I want to check the area where I found her, see if I can find any identifying information that might help us. I didn't have the opportunity earlier. I needed to get her out of the cold, and didn't want to risk frightening her."

He nodded his head. "Of course, Edward. How do you suppose she came to be out there anyway?"

"It had to be a plane crash. I know there is some type of accident site out there, I could smell it, and I could smell... bodies."

"Hmmm...seems the only logical explanation. If it is legible, be sure to obtain the plane's serial & registration number as well. It will help identify who and where she is from. Be careful as well. If they were able to give their location before going down, humans could very well already be on their way."

"I will. Thank you. I'll try to be back before she wakes." I clasped his shoulder briefly, before leaving the house. I ran into the woods, feeling the heat from the sun as it touched me.

As I moved nearer to the place that I found Bella I took in all of the scents around me, searching for the metal and gasoline, and checking around the area to be sure no humans had found it.

When I found no traces of other humans, I located the plane and began my search. It was a small Cessna that looked to be relatively new. I didn't want to linger here, so I tried to be as quick and thorough as possible.

Three bodies remained in their seats, two males and one female. From the smell of their spilled blood, it appeared to be less than 24 hours since the plane went down. The enticement to feed was not there, but the similarities in their blood told me that these were Bella's parents.

It was hard to believe a little child had survived this carnage without a scratch. The plane was completely ripped in half and the rear compartment seemed to have burned away. I quickly searched the bodies for any identifying information. I pulled a wallet from the male who was not the pilot.

Charles Swan.

Hmm. This must be her father; they appeared to have the same color eyes and hair. Bella Swan. It saddened me to think that she no longer had her father or mother.

Shaking my head of those thoughts, I put the wallet in my jacket pocket and continued my search. There wasn't much else that wasn't burned or destroyed. Some papers and files, clothes, perfume, and a small teddy bear. The rather insignificant toy not only smelled of the regular fabrics of its design, but it was also covered in Bella's scent. It must have been hers.

Perhaps she would want the bear? I picked it up with care and glanced over the plane again to be sure that I hadn't missed anything.

When I was satisfied that there was nothing left for me to search through, I memorized the appropriate numbers from the wreckage and took off through the woods again.

I heard Jasper's thoughts as I neared home. He was not far from the house, trying to keep somewhat of a distance. His thoughts were mostly quiet, but he was afraid of slipping up around Bella. Although he didn't trust himself, I knew that if I could resist this temptation, he would be alright. This lifestyle was still a difficult adjustment for him, especially with his ability to sense emotions. His blood lust mixed with a desire to not be a monster generally left him conflicted, as he was now.

"Hello, Edward," Jasper said lowly, his back to me.

I came to a stop, considering how to ask my request. "Jasper," I said.

"Go ahead, Edward." He kept his back to me, staring out into the distance. _I can sense that you're unsure about something._

"Okay," I let out in a sigh. "Can you find out everything that you can on a Charles Swan for me? I have some of his personal information right here." I took the wallet out of my jacket and handed it to him just as he turned around.

After he took the wallet from me, Jasper watched me briefly. "This has something to do with that girl doesn't it?"

"We need to find out everything that we can about this girl, to protect ourselves," I said tightly. I didn't like the look that he was giving me, the pointed thoughts rolling around in his head. "The plane she was in was a Cessna 182S. Looked to be around 2000-2001. Registration number was N647PD, and the serial number was 18280724. As soon as you can, please."

Jasper nodded his head. "I'll tell Mr. Jenks I need the information by this evening."

That was perfect. "Thank you Jasper."

_You're welcome. _He thought, before taking off.

Before going into the house I took in a long deep breath of air, storing it up so I wouldn't have to breathe when I came into contact with Bella. I ran the rest of the way to the house and went inside.

Everyone was basically in the same places that they had been when I left the house. Bella's steady heart beat continued to thump upstairs. I remembered the small bear in my hands, covered in her delicious scent, and brought it up to her. A reminder for her of her parents. Once I placed the bear beside her I watched her for a moment, intrigued.

The innocence of such a creature as her confused me, drove me crazy. It was such a strange feeling, the near incessant pull to feed from her, to kill her, coupled with overwhelming feelings of compassion and a fierce need to protect her. My body was at complete odds with my mind.

At that moment I needed a distraction from the mounting conflicting thoughts in my head and went down to the first floor. I sidled up to my piano and began playing. It didn't stop the flood of thoughts, but seemed to relax me nonetheless. My fingers automatically began playing Esme's favorite when I heard her car pulling onto the long road to the house.

I let the music take me over until the sound of a familiar thumping heart beat grew closer, returning me ever swiftly to the overwhelming conflict, the flood of emotions, and the fire in my throat.

I listened carefully as she came down the stairs, her steps light and small and...well, _childlike_.

And then there was a miss.

I had just enough time to slip out from behind the piano and catch her before she fell. Bella trembled as I held onto her.

"I sorry," she mumbled as tears streamed down her little cheeks.

"Shh. It's alright. See? You're okay." I tried to calm her down, tensing when she buried her face into my neck. Her scent infiltrated my senses, driving me insane as the flames engulfed my throat with thirst.

The front door opened and Alice was the first to enter the house, followed by Esme. She was barely visible under the massive amounts of department store boxes and bags.

_Be careful Edward. She's just a child. _Alice thought as she came in, weighed down by the bags.

I glared at her. "Thank you, Alice." ...for stating the obvious, I finished in my thoughts.

"Bella, dear, would you like to come with me to the kitchen? I'll fix you something to eat." Esme held her arms out to Bella.

Looking back at me, Bella had a questioning look in her eyes and she bit her bottom lip.

"Don't worry little one. I'm not going anywhere," I assured her before handing her over to Esme.

Alice trailed behind them as they walked to the kitchen. _I can't wait to see you playing dress up with her._

I growled at her and rolled my eyes, her tinkling laugh echoing back to me as she entered the kitchen.

My eyes drifted to the kitchen and I listened as Esme and Alice talked with Bella. A small attempt to get her to open up, I supposed. Since she was distracted, I used the opportunity to slip out of the room. I needed the guidance of my friend, my father.

Carlisle was upstairs in his study. I hated disturbing him, but I really needed to talk to him about Bella. I was up the stairs and standing in the doorway of his study in the blink of an eye.

_Ah Edward. I was wondering when you would to come up here? _Carlisle smiled at me. "What can I do for you son?"

I pinched the bridge of my nose with my thumb and forefinger, searching for the right words. "It's Bella, Carlisle."

He put his book down on the desk, folding his hands over it and arched his brow. "Go on," he prompted.

"There is just something about her… it's only been a matter of hours, but… I don't know what to do." I had never been at such a loss for words before in my life, it was maddening. "I saw the visions that Alice had about her. That she's going to stay as part of this family."

"Yes, Alice discussed the visions with me briefly. Her scent is strong for you, a serious temptation." It wasn't a question. His compassion and worry for our family was clear on his face. "Will this be too much for you?"

I gave a quick shake of my head. "I'm still not entirely sure. It's like a siren's call, but how could I ever possibly hurt such a small, innocent creature?"

_Well, Edward, despite Alice's visions, the decision is still ultimately yours. If this will be too much for you, I'm sure that we can figure something else out for her, _he assured me.

"That's just it. I don't think that I can." I sighed in defeat, realizing that this tiny, frail human had altered me in a way that I could not explain. The combination of her blood, the circumstances in which I found her, and the fact that I could not read her mind regardless of how hard I focused, were enough to ensure that I could not part from her. Not yet. I was vested already, tied inexplicably to the little girl with doe eyes.

I could see my bewildered expression in Carlisle's thoughts. He smiled kindly and came out from around his desk, placing his hand on my shoulder. "I suppose it is settled then. Perhaps we should speak with Jasper later, discuss a plan to explain how Bella came to us."

When I didn't leave, Carlisle sat down again at his desk. _Is there more?_

"A couple of the visions that Alice had," I took a moment, thinking over the right word to use, "disturbed me."

Carlisle seemed to be considering my words. _I noticed that you had a very unpleasant reaction to what you saw. What is it that disturbed you?_

I sighed in frustration. "Bella was older, at least seventeen, and she had eyes that were... blood red. Carlisle, she had become one of us."

_And you don't want that. _He stated rather than asked.

"She is an innocent child. What kind of monster would it make me to wish this life on her?" I felt myself growing angrier the more I thought about it.

_Edward, there is a long time before such considerations need to be made. Try to concentrate on the issues presented to us now, today. _Carlisle suggested.

"We'll have to be extremely careful around her. I'm unable to read her thoughts, so I won't be able to know her reactions to us," I explained.

_How strange. Nothing?_

I shook my head. "Not even glimpses."

"This has never happened to you before has it?" he questioned.

"No, never."

"Let me think that over. I've never heard of such a thing. It seems there is something inherently special about her." He turned toward his book shelf, glancing over the spines.

Special was an understatement. Again, I nodded and left his office.

Emmett was in the garage with Rosalie, trying to calm her down.

Jasper was pacing outside behind the house. He was thinking about the Civil War army code to keep me out of his thoughts. I hated when they did that, I had to work even harder to tune them out.

Slowly, I made my way into the kitchen where Esme and Alice were with Bella. I peeked around the corner, trying to keep quiet, and smiled at the sight before me. She appeared to be completely at ease in Esme's arms. Her heart beat smooth and perfect.

"Would you like some more, dear?" Esme asked Bella. _Such a precious child.  
_

"No tank you," Bella told her politely, munching on her sandwich.

She was such a small thing, exuding frailty and innocence. It was surreal to be around. Her dark brown hair was in such contrast with her pale skin, the membrane so thin I could see her blood moving.

When my throat burst into flames I left the room.

_Just thought I'd warn you, brother, that Rose is in a foul mood. _Emmett came inside and plopped down on one of the couches in the living room.

"Thank you." I let out an exasperated sigh as her thoughts screamed at me. "Keep your thoughts to yourself," I growled at her.

Emmett shook his head. _Calm down, brother._

I snapped my mouth shut, forcing myself to maintain my control. Now was not the time to attack anyone. "Are you angry at me as well?"

He shook his head. "I don't understand why you want to have her around, but, I'm not going to question you, Edward. Besides, she's pretty damn cute if you ask me."

"You are much kinder to me than I deserve, Em," I thanked him.

"Yup," he settled back, barely paying attention as he turned the television on.

A giggle came from the kitchen. Bella was playing a game with Alice, unaware of the strategizing Alice was doing in her head as they continued. They both seemed to be having fun together.

_Oh, the outfits I can get for her! She'd look absolutely adorable. Maybe I could design something…_

My mind wandered for a while, contemplating whether or not I was going crazy. In a matter of hours, everything had changed for my family and me. Whether or not I had made the right choice in bringing her here seemed to be the only question plaguing me.

She would have frozen to death out there in the snow. I had no choice but to bring her back, right? If we could keep who we really were from her, perhaps she could have as normal a life as possible. She deserved to just be a happy human child. Could we keep her happy? Could we keep her alive?

Esme would definitely see to that. She was already quite taken with Bella. Her mothering instincts were on full alert. Carlisle was pleased to see Esme so happy, so I had no doubt that he would be a wonderful father to Bella. Alice, on the other hand,_ ugh_, she had plans that I didn't want to think about. Her thoughts were going a million miles a minute, especially when she saw that Jasper would come around.

Rosalie was really the only one holding any resentment towards me and specifically, toward Bella. A protective urge rose up in me at the considerations she let slip through, and I stopped myself from growling at her. She may have been petty and angry, but she would never physically harm an innocent. With Emmett as a buffer, I figured that she would come around sooner or later. She was the least of my worries right now.

I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't hear the others come into the living room, but I was brought back to reality when I felt a warm, tiny body curl into my lap. I glanced around the room and noticed that it had gotten dark outside. It was late, and of course she would be tired. She was human.

Her scent nearly overwhelmed me, filling me before I had a chance to prepare myself. Alice made a move to take Bella, but I shook my head in response. No matter how difficult it was for me to be around her, I had to get use to her scent, that glorious scent that made my mouth pool with venom. That was a bad thought to focus on, so I took a deep breath and held it. Going without breathing wasn't so bad, just slightly uncomfortable.

Bella snuggled a little more closely into my chest, her breathing starting to slow, and her heart's rhythm steadying. She clung to my shirt. I kept myself rigid, afraid that I would either lunge at her jugular or wake her up if I moved so much as an inch.

_You won't hurt her, Edward. _Alice smiled, barely able to contain her excitement.

Rolling my eyes at her, I turned back and watched Bella as she slept. It was even more fascinating than it had been earlier that day. She squirmed a little and mumbled incoherently for a few minutes. A smile formed at my lips as I watched her. Apparently, talking in her sleep was a regular occurrence for her.

I wanted to continue watching her, but I knew that we had things to discuss as a family. So, I stood up with Bella in my arms and excused myself from the room.

"Take her to your room, Edward. She'll be more comfortable there," Alice said as I neared the stairs.

What did she mean by that? "Alice?"

"Don't argue, Edward. I'm going to win anyways," she giggled.

"For someone so little you can be so hugely annoying," I muttered, making my way up the stairs with deliberate slowness. My room was on the third floor and as I reached the top of the stairs I immediately knew that something was different. There was a new smell.

Oh, no. She didn't, she wouldn't. I opened the door and it was exactly as I had feared. With a quick rearrangement of my furniture, Alice had set up a king size bed in the middle of my room. It was wrought iron so that I could lay on it as well and not break it. The comforter and sheets were a soft golden color.

Placing Bella in the center of the large bed, I wrapped her up in the quilt and made sure that she was secure before heading to the door.

"Eggwart," she mumbled softly. My lips twitched as I fought the smile that threatened to come to the surface.

When I arrived downstairs, I noticed that my family was gathered in the dining room, Alice sitting in one of the chairs with a smug look on her face. I growled involuntarily at her, receiving a hiss from Jasper.

"Let's try and remain calm about this everyone." Carlisle was seated at the head of the table, his demeanor calm and in control. "In light of everything that's happened today, we have some serious decisions to make."

Jasper placed a thick manila folder on the coffee table and opened it. "Mr. Jenks faxed these to me about an hour ago. Her father's name is Charles Swan, as you know, and his wife's name was Renee Swan. Both Charles and Renee were only children," Jasper continued, flipping through the pages. "Both of their parents are deceased and they have no other living relatives. Neither had wills prepared, and only insignificant insurance policies were in place."

"This leaves young Bella here with no family?" Esme's thoughts were consumed with solace and sympathy.

"She will be a ward of the state of Washington if she is found. The plane has been reported missing, but they are searching about 280 miles southeast of here, where last contact was recorded. It's doubtful they will ever recover the wreckage," Jasper relayed the dire situation Bella, and all of us, faced.

I picked up the folder after he had finished and read over everything that he had collected, almost chuckling at the situation. It was almost as if she was supposed to be here, with our family. The circumstances of her own family, or lack thereof, were further cementing that course of action.

With a small gasp, Esme turned her gaze to Carlisle. "My dear, we have to do something. She has no family; I can't have her put into child services."

Carlisle rubbed her arm in a soothing gesture. "I know. Perhaps we can keep her with us, at least for awhile."

"How can you even consider having her _live_ here?" Rosalie screeched. "What if the humans _do_ find the plane and discover that she's not there? If they somehow managed to discover that we have her, they could come after us."

Emmett rubbed her shoulders. "Calm down, Rose."

She screeched again, "No! How could you be so selfish Edward?"

I narrowed my eyes at her, listening to what she was thinking. "Do you really want to call _me_ selfish right now, Rose?" I didn't want to announce to the room what I had heard; her thoughts weren't mine to tell, but the jealousy and longing she had were not for her family.

"Fine, do whatever you want. But don't say that I didn't warn you!" She stood up quickly, knocking her chair back against the wall in her haste, and stormed out of the room.

"Alright, well from everyone else's silence I'm going to assume that you are okay with this decision," Carlisle stated rather than asked. He continued when everyone's attention was on him. "Okay, then. Jasper, please give Mr. Jenks another call. It seems we're going to need some credentials for Bella.

Jasper nodded his head. "I'll give him a call in the morning and let him know that I am coming."

"We can work out our story for how she came to live with us later," Carlisle sighed, rubbing his forehead.

Emmett finally spoke up, his voice booming. "Are we gonna tell her what we are?"

"No," I responded without hesitation. I wanted to keep her innocent for as long as possible. She would be too young to comprehend anyway. "She wouldn't understand."

It wasn't until I could see the sun rising in the kitchen that I realized we had spent all night discussing what we were going to do. There was still a lot that was left undecided, but we had time enough to figure it out. Once we concluded that the rest could wait, everyone went in there separate directions. I went up to my room, being sure to move around quietly so as not to wake up Bella, and settled on my leather sofa with a book.

Another day was about to start and I could tell that it was going to be interesting around our house for a while. I held my breath so I couldn't smell Bella's scent and read in the early morning light, waiting for her to wake up.

* * *

Thank you to my fabulous beta **ECullenitis** for making this chapter the best that it could be.


	3. Leaving for the First Hunt

_I don't own Twilight. all Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

_

Chapter Three

Leaving for the First Hunt

Bella slowly infiltrated her way into our family. No one seemed to be able to resist her obvious charms, except for Rosalie, but that didn't seem to phase Bella much. Each day she discovered something new, and a bright smile would light up her features, an enthusiasm radiating from her. We hadn't experienced in quite some time.

The more time I spent around her, basking in her scent, the easier it became. The yearning to kill her never entirely went away, but the siren's call of her blood dulled somewhat with each passing day. She had taken to sleeping on my chest, burying her face into the crook of my neck. I had to cover her with a blanket to keep her from shivering, but part of my looked forward to that special time we got to share together. It provided me with long stretches of time with Bella in my arms. It kept me from worrying about her.

Never had I met a human, child or otherwise, that was so prone to danger. She needed constant supervision to avoid life threatening calamity. Esme and Alice helped to keep her occupied when I couldn't, knowing just what to do to make her happy.

Watching them together was a sight to behold. Bella would giggle and cuddle with her, our cold skin barely even eliciting a physical reaction anymore, while Esme was happier than I had seen her in quite some time. Her thoughts were filled with pure joy at having a little girl to love and dote upon. She loved us- we were her children- but there was something about holding the small child in her arms and singing her to sleep that filled that void in her heart.

I rarely left the house, always keeping near incase she needed me. Her heart beat and scent had become two significant pieces of my world in the three weeks since she came into our lives.

Each afternoon Alice had something new for her and Bella to play with. Board games, dolls, even a brand new tea set had worked its way into the bunch. That's what they were doing as Esme and I sat and watched them. Alice had sent for one of the most expensive children's tea sets she could find, along with dress up clothes and tiaras.

Sipping from one of the small cups and taking pretend bites from a plastic scone, they spoke of having tea with the Queen of England in her garden. Alice would cast quick, barely noticeable, glances outside at Jasper, winking her at him.

He kept his distance, but still stayed near, trying to get use to the smell of human blood again. The struggle with the emotions of those around him, as well as the difficulty of resisting after years of never needing to, made Jasper's struggle a bit more arduous than ours. But he never complained. His thoughts were always of Alice, promising himself that it was worth it to give her experiences that she had missed out on.

The devotion they had for each other made me hopeful that one day I could experience the same thing.

Bella giggled again, bringing Alice's attention back to their party.

_Such a sweet child, I'm sure she must be hungry by now. _Esme stood from her place on the couch and went into the kitchen. The food that she prepared smelled foul, although, not nearly as bad as fresh meat. I shuddered at the thought.

"Eggwart," Bella called.

I kept my gaze trained on the kitchen, wrinkling my nose in disgust. "Yes, little one?" When she didn't respond, I turned my head in her direction and she had a small pout on her lips. "Forgive me. I'm listening."

With her arms crossed over her chest, Bella continued to pout. "Where other people?"

There was an almost imperceptible gasp throughout the house. Esme stopped pouring juice in a cup, Carlisle opened the door to his study, Alice and Jasper exchanged looks, even Emmett grunted from the garage.

"It only us. Where my mommy and daddy, other people?" She lowered her voice a little bit, playing with the hem of the dress she wore.

No one said anything out loud at first, their thoughts bombarding me all at once. Ignoring them, I motioned for Bella to come to me. She made her way over, her hands behind her back and her head lowered as though she was in trouble. When she got to me, I held my arms open and watched as she climbed into my lap.

She kept her head down, her shoulders trembling. I lifted her chin so that she would meet my eyes. "You're not in trouble." I ran my hand along her back in soothing circles, trying to ease the tension and fear that was radiating from her.

"Do you remember the day we found each other?" I whispered, continuing to rub along her back. When I felt the slight nod of her head I continued. "Do you remember that your parents were hurt? They wouldn't wake up."

After a few sniffles, she gave another small nod.

"Sweetheart, I brought you here to keep you safe. We're alone because it's soothing for us." Explaining to Bella that we were vampires would have been too confusing for her and this was difficult enough as it was.

"But why all alone? I go to school after birthday." Her little eyes welled up with tears, threatening to spill over at any moment.

The room was silent again. Carlisle stood at the top of the stairs, thinking through plausible answers to give and questions to ask the others.

Alice tensed minutely, a vision beginning to play through her mind.

I paused, watching it in time with her.

Two separate events were shown, Bella's birthday party and her first day of school. Most of what we saw was passed through quickly, making it difficult to get a clear read on what was taking place, but a few things lingered long enough for us to see.

Flashes of us wearing birthday hats with perfectly wrapped presents in our hands filled both of our minds. And, we appeared to be in Chicago. I had not been there since Carlisle changed me and wasn't sure if I was ready to go back. Not returning hadn't been a conscious effort, but the crystal clear reminders of my previous life there would not make it any easier.

Gasping slightly as the onslaught of images ended, Alice turned to me with an uncharacteristically worried expression on her gentle features. _Are you going to be okay with this?_

I gave her a curt nod, trying not to alert the tiny little human in my arms to our exchange. Bella curled herself into my side, the warmth of her skin heating me all the way to my bones and giving me the small bit of courage that I needed.

"What did you see?" Jasper had come into the room and was next to Alice, his arm around her protectively. The look that passed between them, a silent conversation, lasted only a few seconds.

Esme came back into the room, carrying the plate of grotesquely smelling human food and tried to pick Bella up. "Don't you want your lunch, dear?" Esme asked after Bella refused to loosen her hold on me.

Burrowing herself closer against me, she shook her head adamantly.

Lifting her eyes to mine quickly, Esme smirked. _She is quite enamored with you, Edward. Bella seems to know when you need her. _"Are you sure you don't want to come with me into the kitchen?" Esme placed the plate of food and the small cup of juice on the dining room table when Bella made no attempt to move.

The others slowly made their way into the room, finding places to stand or sit as they waited for someone to talk. Even Rosalie came in behind Emmett. She had been avoiding the main part of the house when Bella was awake, only gracing us with her presence when the moon came out.

I encouraged Bella to eat, whispering to her that she could stay in my lap if that was what she wanted. Once she picked up the spoon that had been resting against her food and began eating the macaroni and cheese, I turned my attention to the anxious faces of my family.

Alice looked to me one more time before launching into an explanation of what she had seen, her voice no louder than a whisper. She described what each scene had been about, the dates, where we were, and any and every detail that would be significant. The soft smiles on Carlisle and Esme's lips when Alice described them taking Bella to school put me at ease, if only for a moment.

No one spoke the words, but the decision had already been made. We were moving to Chicago.

Carlisle, Esme, and Emmett didn't seem too surprised by the description, our time of isolation having already begun to take its toll on us. Being away from the outside world helped us control our thirst and allowed for us to just be ourselves, but it kept us from retaining a semblance of our humanity.

I knew that Jasper would go anywhere that Alice went, and she would not part from Bella. I sighed at the thought of going through the motions of high school and classes again, but things were different this time. I needed to be there for Bella, as long as it was safe for her.

"Move again? Why are we doing this? She is nothing to me." Rosalie didn't even pretend to keep her voice down, disdain and anger dripping from each word. Her eyes narrowed at the child, her thoughts even more hostile.

Hissing at Rosalie, I adjusted Bella so that I was shielding her from my sister.

"Bella is a part of our family now, Rose. We're doing what's best for everyone." Carlisle stood between us, a note of finality in his tone. "There are still plenty of preparations that need to be taken care of before we can go. It won't be until the summer at least." He tried to assure her and everyone else in the process.

"She is a puppy that followed Edward home. A frail little human that will only serve to endanger our family." Her voice cracked slightly at the end, fear of losing Emmett at the forefront of her mind.

It took everything that I had not to launch across the room and pin her against the wall. Part of me couldn't be angry with her, knowing the fear she felt for her mate and the conflict over her feelings for a child. But her actions were inexcusable.

Having Bella in my lap was the only thing keeping me from even growling at Rose.

"I get to go to school?" Bella asked, breaking some of the tension in the room. Her eyes were wide with curiosity, expectant and hopeful.

"Yes, little one. You are going to go to school." I smiled down at her, feeling my lips form into their usual crooked grin. The excitement that Bella now exuded helped rid me of the last traces of anger at Rosalie. I listened as my family discussed the different facets and considerations we needed to prepare for.

My main focus, though, was on the gentle heartbeat coming from Bella. Each thump lulled away any worries or frustrations, making everything else insignificant.

Ooo~Ooo~Ooo~Ooo~Ooo

Getting everything ready for our move took quite a bit of time as Carlisle had told Rosalie. Jasper was waiting until the time was closer for us to leave before he contacted Jenks about our new documents. That way we would have plenty of time to register for school and fill out necessary paperwork.

We tried to take care of every minute detail, making sure that no detail was overlooked.

Esme flittered around, keeping in constant contact with the architect and design crew working on our new home. She knew exactly what she wanted and wasn't going to accept anything less. Her manner was kind, but firm in conveying her wishes. Alice spent the spare time that Esme wasn't on the phone, calling her favorite European designers and ordering the latest fashions to update our wardrobe.

The differences in watching the two women work were extremely amusing.

Bella found me one evening, hiding in the kitchen. I couldn't imagine how Jasper was handling all of the edginess, but I couldn't stand being around it all night. So, I stood in front of the French doors that led outside and stared at the moon, a new melody working through my head.

Listening to her heartbeat come closer, I couldn't help smiling. There was something about the little girl that had warmed my dead heart. Each time she came to me, ready to fall asleep, was a comfort to me. She felt safe with me. Whether or not that was a good idea was still up for debate, but as long as she needed me I would be there for her.

"Come here, little one." I grinned, stooping down and holding my arms open.

She giggled and ran toward me, blanket in hand.

I scooped her up carefully, tucking her into the crook of my arm and wrapping the blanket securely around her. She let out a small sigh as she snuggled in, laying her head down on my shoulder.

Humming softly, I stroked her back and her hair gently as I returned to looking out at the moon. It took a little while for her to get settled, but soon I could hear her breathing slow down and her pulse calm.

I took in a deep breath, allowing her scent to wash over me. Even though my throat burned and ached, I found that I rather enjoyed the delectable smell. Being around it constantly had somewhat desensitized me, allowing me to bask in the fragrance.

"Eggwart," she mumbled.

Pressing a kiss to the top of her head, I chuckled softly. Being around her was making me feel so… human, something that I hadn't dealt with in too many years. It was foreign and yet familiar, revealing old instincts that were coming back to the surface.

Jasper and Emmett's thoughts quieted, shifting to statistics as they came looking for me. They were intentionally blocking me out.

Not being able to hear their thoughts put me on edge and I waited as they entered the room.

"What?" I kept my voice low, so as not to wake Bella.

"We're going hunting," Emmett announced.

I didn't say anything, just continued to look outside.

"You should come with us," he persisted.

Looking down at Bella's sleeping form, I smiled. She was so peaceful. "I'm alright. You guys go on without me."

They didn't leave.

I kept my back to them, protecting her just in case.

"Edward, it has been weeks since you've gone." Jasper finally spoke. "Being around humans won't help if you're thirsty and out of practice."

"As I said," I hissed out, "I'm fine."

Moving from their spots behind the counter, I knew they were circling around me. It wasn't for an attack, but I still kept myself on the defensive. A low growl rumbled in my chest as they drew nearer.

Jasper held up his hands in a gesture communicating that he meant no harm. "Relax, Edward. Going this long without hunting is not good for you. Or for her." He stopped in front of the window, standing with me in silence for a couple of minutes. "What are you going to do when you have to leave her side at school?"

_School_. I hadn't even thought about that. My stomach sank at the idea of not being there to catch Bella if she fell.

I felt grossly protective again. From what I had witnessed, Bella couldn't be left alone for even a moment. There were too many ways she could harm herself in a classroom without proper supervision.

"You both will be better off, Edward. She'll be fine for a few hours." Jasper tried to assure me.

"We'll wait for you out front." Emmett clapped my shoulder, making sure not to jostle Bella.

Once I was sure that they had left the room, I glanced back down at Bella. She looked so peaceful. Her little arms clung to me as tightly as she could.

I could do this, right? It would just be for a little while and I would be back before she woke up.

The burning had been getting worse, but I had just pressed it to the back of my mind, overriding the desire to feed. But they were right. It wouldn't do any good for us if I was too thirsty and unable to control myself. Being in control around one human was different than thousands, and I had been out of practice.

Closing my eyes for a moment, I breathed in the floral scent of Bella and allowed it to calm me. Prolonging this would not help, so I brought her up the stairs quickly and to my room.

I settled her in the middle of the bed and kissed her on the top of the head as I tucked the blanket around her again. She murmured my name softly, burrowing against the pillows.

Down stairs, I found Carlisle and Esme lounging on one of the couches, speaking to each other in quiet tones.

"Please make sure nothing happens to her while I'm gone. We should be back by sunrise." I could hear the pleading in my voice, feel the ache at leaving her. How had such a little human completely taken over my life?

"She'll be just fine, Edward." Esme smiled at me. Her gentle thoughts urging me to take some time for myself, that she would not let anything happen to her.

I glanced back up the stairs, listening for her heart one last time before leaving. I knew that my family would keep their eyes on her, but that didn't stop me from worrying about her. This was the first time we were separated for longer than half an hour since I had brought her back with me.

Once out the door, I began running, not even waiting to see if my brother's were following me.

They didn't say anything when they caught up with me; we just ran in silence. It felt good to be outside, to feel the wind blowing through my air. Running for us was instinctual, natural, something that we didn't need to think about. Not having to think was good.

We didn't make any noise during our run, the different scents and sounds of our surroundings assaulting my senses. Giving over to my baser instincts, I followed my brothers as we tracked down our prey.

Near the Nenana River we came upon a herd of caribou. Taking down a few was simple enough, they never really put up much of a fight. I was finishing my second when I noticed Emmett getting anxious.

He bounced on the tips of his toes, working into a fighting stance. He was worked up and ready for more of a challenge. Our regular meals were somewhat satisfactory. Caribou, moose, elk, they kept us going, but there was something more to getting a carnivorous creature. Their blood wasn't exactly like a human's, but it tasted more like it.

"Mmmm… there's something a little better down there." He pointed across the river. "Irritable and more willing to put up a fight." A wide grin spread across his features.

Emmett had always favored grizzly bears. After the circumstances that led to his change, messing with an angry bear and bringing it down seemed to settle that particular need in him. It wasn't very often, but he was right on schedule for that with this hunt.

I looked in the direction he pointed, the distinct predatory hue to the animal's blood was there. Even though I knew that Emmett needed this, I was ready to return to Bella.

My kills had been slower than Emmett and Jasper's and I knew that the sun would be coming over the horizon soon.

"Perhaps we should head back. Haven't you two had enough yet?" I ran a hand through my hair, images of Bella waking up frightened that I was not there started running through my mind.

"Come on little brother, the nights just getting started." Emmett winked, smiling wide enough for his dimples to show. "Maybe we can track down a wolverine for you."

I growled at him.

"You have to let it go, Edward. Bella is fast asleep. Carlisle, Esme, and Alice are all there and will be able to get to her if anything goes wrong." He rolled his eyes at me. "I'm not going to pretend that I understand your attachment to her, but the two of you need to be able to be apart. She is a human child."

Jasper stepped in before I could respond. "Let's just make this our last run. I'm starting to get full now anyways." He looked between us, waiting for both of us to nod in agreement.

Being so protective of someone like Bella was not something I had wished for. My life was perfectly content before I'd found her, but now that I had, I couldn't imagine not having her around.

She was my life.

After jumping over the river we went a little further into the forest until we picked up the trail of the bears. There were enough for the three of us, so we quietly made our way to where they were and sat back, waiting to make our move.

We each went our separate ways, moving in on the bears the way that we each preferred to. It wasn't as swift as our earlier kills, the grizzlies charged and fought against us.

Hunting had been something that I missed, stalking my prey, finding the perfect spot drink their blood, the satisfaction of the warm liquid flowing down my throat and easing the burn. It was natural.

But, when I finished with my bear, and finally felt full, all I could think about was getting home. So when they decided that they were finished as well, I took off for the house, running faster than I had in a while. It felt good to let go and run; the beauty of nature was all around me but I didn't register any of it.

Getting home was all that I cared about. I nearly broke the door off its hinges when I arrived. Bella's heart beat was exactly as it had been before I left, steady and smooth, and she hadn't left my room. I breathed a sigh of relief, trying to block out the sounds of my family and their amusement over my concern.

_Not a single hair out of place. She's perfectly fine. _Carlisle chuckled.

Emmett's booming laughter filled the house as he stepped inside. _Maybe next time you should strap her to the bed, just in case. Or you could lay bubble wrap and pillows all over the floor to cover all of your bases._

A growl rumbled low in my chest, and I did my best not wake her up in the process. I could hear their laughter throughout the house as I settled down on the bed without jostling her. Even though I wouldn't admit it to them, I realized as soon as I found her that I had been overreacting. Carlisle and Esme would never let anything happen to Bella. Keeping the proper perspective was nearly impossible when I didn't have her near me.

How was I possibly going to make it when we began school?

* * *

_First and foremost thank you to **CLHahny** for purchasing me way back in the FGB New Moon addition Auction. She was beyond generous and has been incredibly patient in waiting for these chapters. Thank you so much and I hope you enjoy these next steps in their lives!_

_And I would also like to thank **LolaShoes** for beta'ing these chapters for me at the last minute. You are absolutely fabulous and I can't thank you enough!_

_So, there are two more pre-written chapters that I'm hoping to update over the next two weeks. I'm working on finishing my other auction pieces and will be posting them as soon as I can. Thank you all for your patience and understanding.  
_


	4. Tears and Venom

_I don't own Twilight. all Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

_

Chapter Four

Tears and Venom

Once we were moved and settled into our new home, Alice immediately began planning Bella's birthday party. She kept it quiet from her, wanting it to be a surprise, and had each of us involved in some aspect of the preparations. No expenses would be spared.

I, for the most part, was agreeable with what Alice chose. Each piece was reflective of Bella's personality and seemed just right for her special day. But, when I saw that she was getting a three tiered cake I had to say something. There was no way that a small child could possibly eat that, even over a matter of days, and I wasn't too fond of the idea of forcing the food down and regurgitating it later.

Eventually Alice sent me out to run some errands for her in town. Toys, party outfits, books and DVDs; she made sure that I was going to be out for the rest of the day.

Traveling lightly always seemed to work best for us, buying what we would need once at our new residence. As a result, we left behind nearly all of Bella's belongings in Denali, clothes and shoes our main priority. Her birthday was the perfect time to replace them and our gifts for her were meticulously planned and picked out by Alice, shown to me before I left.

I made sure to take my time and get everything just right, and then I stopped to find something special that I wanted to give to her. She was quite significant to me and I wanted the present I gave to reflect that as time went on. Nothing I looked at seemed right though. Spending money was obviously not the way to go.

Part of me considered composing a song for her. The notes had been coming to me for days, but the compulsion to work them out wasn't there. Until now. Our moments together were some of the happiest I could remember having, she was the most interesting human I had encountered. Her expressions and responses surprised me every time.

As I drove down the street to our house, I knew that my intuition was correct; this was the heartfelt gift I had been looking for. Pulling into the driveway, I heard the different conversations of my family going on throughout the house. Emmett and Rosalie heading out to the garage to work on his jeep, Carlisle and Jasper having a theological debate, Alice and Esme going over party plans and food preparations- the sounds that had become familiar to our home life.

But the most significant sound I heard was a small heartbeat.

I could never tire of it. It was subtle and soft, but one that I couldn't go without. The scent of her blood hit me as soon as I stepped out of the car and I couldn't help smiling at how easy it was to hold back, to enjoy the different flavors without actually tasting them.

_Oh, Edward, that is going to be perfect! Bella is going to love your present. _Alice showed me a quick glimpse of her vision, focusing on the wide smile on Bella's face and the two of us sitting at the piano. The sight was warm and comforting, and I couldn't help chuckling at her enthusiasm.

Alice was waiting for me at the bottom of the stairs, ready to put the items I had purchased away so that Bella wouldn't see them. I gladly handed them over, kissing the top of her head.

Esme, Carlisle, and Bella were outside having a picnic. I watched the entire scene play out in Esme's mind; the adoration she felt for Bella and the perfect moment they were sharing. Once she had finished eating, Bella climbed up from her place on Esme's lap and went to kiss Carlisle on the cheek, wrapping her arms around his neck in a tight hug.

The moment was beautiful, tugging at the long dormant strings of my heart.

Shaking my head and blocking my family's thoughts from my mind, I made my way to the music room that had been set up on the opposite side of the kitchen. The room was separate from everyone else, giving me some measure of privacy. A black, baby grand piano resided in the center of the room, positioned toward the west corner to allow a full view of the room.

I pulled out the piano stool and sat down, a large bay window that overlooked a small pond was to my left and da Vinci's La Scapigliata painting was to my right. The two contrasts created a vivid feel in the room, a measure of serenity that was almost tangible. Closing my eyes, I did my best to forget about everything but the small heartbeat just outside.

When I felt ready, I placed my hands on the keys and let the music take over. The notes that filled the room were beautiful, somehow perfectly describing what Bella meant to me. I lost track of the time, only realizing how much had passed when it was already time for my little human's nap. She protested through big yawns as they entered the house.

My first instinct, upon hearing them enter the house, was to run to Bella and scoop her up in my arms. She always seemed to sleep better with me. But, I had to hold myself back.

Esme and Carlisle felt that Bella needed to learn to sleep in a bed by herself and were slowly trying to introduce her to that. I knew that they were right, but it wasn't easy for me to let her go. Those few hours that she slept were precious to me, the moments when I could observe her best. Her expressions and mutterings were unlike anything I had witnessed, and keeping her close eased the constant worry I had when she left my sight.

Closing my eyes and tightening my muscles minutely, I stayed where I was until the door to my room closed and I heard Esme tucking Bella in.

Then, I darted from the room ran to the bottom of the stairs. I stood there, listening to every movement and thump of her heart.

_Are you alright, son? _Carlisle placed his hand on my shoulder, his voice kind.

I nodded my head quickly, never moving my eyes from the door to my room. From where I stood, I had a perfect view to the third floor where they were.

_You really can't stand being away from her, can you?_

I spoke quietly, at a decibel only vampires could hear. "I can't really explain it. Even though I have to fight against the call of her blood every second, having her gone from my sight hurts more distinctly. If anything were to happen to her…"

Carlisle was silent for half a breath, releasing his grip from my shoulder and moving to lean against the wall across from where I stood. "You know we would not let any harm come to her. She has filled a void in Esme that I could never hope of reaching." Memories of stolen moments with his wife played quickly through his mind, an ever present sadness across her features.

Seeing the hurt that my adoptive mother tried desperately to hide from us caused me to flinch slightly. "I know."

"Has Alice had anymore visions?" Carlisle didn't need to elaborate; I knew exactly what he was referring to.

I gave my head another slight nod. "Daily. They vary somewhat in content, but follow the same basis."

_Perhaps what she is seeing is not such a bad thing, Edward. We can all see a difference in you. _

A growl rose up in my throat before I could stop it. "I won't do that to her. She deserves more than this life, Carlisle. She deserves… more."

With a sigh, Carlisle didn't say another word. He stood with me, in silent support, as I waited for Bella to wake from her afternoon nap.

~~β~~ ~~β~~ ~~β~~

"Eggwart!" Bella squealed, running up to me.

Closing my eyes, I smiled as I listened to heart speed up. It was a soft, gentle thump as she made her way to me, the only sound that had any significance in my world.

Just as she was about to leap into the air, I turned around and caught her in my arms. Her giggles filled the room, awakening more pieces of me that I thought had long been dormant.

"It's my birthday, Eggwart." She bounced in my arms.

Surprisingly, Bella had allowed Esme to put her in a dress. It was a pale yellow with a white trim along the collar and hem. The soft color of the fabric seemed just perfect against her skin as her cheeks flooded with color, blushing delicately.

I tucked some of her curls behind her ear, chuckling at the adorableness of my little human. "That it is, little one, and we have a busy day ahead of us. Do you want to go somewhere with me?"

"Yes."

Earlier that morning, upon returning from a late night hunting trip with Emmett, Alice had asked if I would take Bella out for a few hours so that they could get the house decorated for the party. She didn't wait for my response, already knowing what it would be.

"Wonderful." I carried her out to the garage and to one of my favorite cars. It was a 1971 Chevy Impala. Rosalie spent hours working on it for me, getting it up to our standards. We had our differences, but I could acknowledge the kindness she bestowed on me at times.

Once Bella was safely tucked into the car, I took off out of the garage and into the city. I could sense that she was somewhat apprehensive as the speed increased, her self-preservation coming to the surface. Her heart rate increased and the blood pumping through her veins began to speed up.

I reached behind me and took her hand in mine. The heat of her fragile human body warmed me to my bones, reminding me of how careful I needed to be with her. Glancing behind me, I winked at her and saw her automatically relax. Her muscles still strained with tension, but her breathing had slowed and her eyes remained on me like a safety net.

After twenty minutes or so, I parked the car along the street in a mildly busy area of town. Trees lined the sidewalk on both sides of the street, showing the first signs of the seasons beginning to change. Their leaves were just beginning to turn from vibrant greens, to soft yellows and deep oranges. Fall was right around the corner.

Grinning, I climbed out of the car and helped Bella out as well. She held onto me closely, lifting her eyes to mine every few seconds as she waited for a queue from me. Without a word, I sat on the curb behind my car and settle Bella onto my lap.

I finally gestured to the building in front of us. "Do you know what that is, little one?"

She looked at the building for a few seconds, cocking her head to the side in concentration, and then glanced back at me. She did this a few more times before finally settling her eyes back on me and shaking her head.

"That," I said, gently rubbing her back, "is the school that you will be going to next week." I spoke in a whisper, putting as much awe into the sentence as I could.

Bella shrieked excitedly, clapping her hands with joy. "I go to school." She bounced in my lap, turning her attention back to the small structure across the street from where we sat. "You go, too, Eggwart?"

"Yes, I'm going to school, too," I assured her. "But not to the same school that you will."

Her full attention was on me then, her bottom lip quivering. "Why?"

"There are so many wonderful and special things that you will get to learn here, and I unfortunately can't learn them with you." Keeping my voice low, I tried to speak as soothingly as possible. "I will be going to a different school with Alice, Jasper, Rosalie, and Emmett. But, once the school day is finished ,nothing will keep me from coming home to you."

"Promise?" she whispered, unshed tears making her voice tremble.

"I promise." It frightened me how easily those words left my mouth, but the smile that spread across her lips and the way that she snuggled a bit closer against my chest, made it completely worth it.

We sat for a while longer, staring at the school building while Bella asked me an endless array of questions. The way her mind worked fascinated me, her expressions even more so as she listened to my answers.

I chuckled when she tried to hide a yawn from me, and stood up with her in my arms. The blood rushed to her cheeks, momentarily making her scent a bit stronger. Every second of every day, my throat felt as though a thousand branding irons were being shoved down it when I was near her, but any desires to harm her were negated whenever she smiled at me or scrunched he nose in confusion.

She was a little mystery to me and I was completely enraptured.

Chicago. It was strange to find myself back in the town of my birth, seventy years later. It had changed as many other places had with time, but yet, it was still familiar.

Walking down the street with Bella in my arms made the experience tolerable. I could handle anything as long as my little human was alright.

Eventually, it was time to head back to the house. Bella was unaware that we were throwing her a party and was upset when our morning together had come to an end. She pouted and sulked about halfway home until I assured her that I had something special waiting for her.

As I parked the car in the garage, I could hear my family's thoughts as though they were sitting right next to me- Alice's above everyone else's. She was positively giddy to be throwing a party.

I set Bella down on her feet as we entered the house, letting her walk into the living room first. Just as I stepped into the room, everyone shouted, "Happy Birthday, Bella!"

She paused for a moment, obviously confused. "For me?"

The decorations set up around the room were perfect as always in pinks and yellows, even the banner with her name on it followed the color scheme. Flowers in vases were placed strategically around the room, subtly matching the description I had made of Bella's scent. In the back corner of the room, a table was filled with expertly wrapped gifts.

Beautiful and perfect.

Esme stepped forward, grinning and nodding. "Yes, little button, this is all for you."

I watched her as she tried to figure out what to do first, eventually running to Esme and allowing her to scoop her up. Carlisle came over and they smothered her with attention, kissing her cheeks until she giggled and spinning her around.

Jasper sat on the bottom steps of the stairwell, watching the scene play out before him and reminding himself to stay on guard.

Alice and Emmett waited patiently for Carlisle and Esme to set Bella down, ready for their turns to greet her. Emmett was worried about Rosalie since she was out hunting, hoping that she would eventually come around and accept Bella.

They all had their turns to lavish her with attention, enjoying her laughter and excitement. She insisted on sitting in my lap as she opened her presents, bouncing and squealing as each new one was revealed.

_Look at that, he really can smile. You know Edward I was beginning to worry that your face really would freeze like that. _Emmett met my eyes, chuckling in his thoughts as memories of me over the years began flashing to the surface. All of them had me frowning.

I bit back a growl, baring my teeth to him.

His laughter boomed throughout the house and he clapped his hands as Bella revealed the last wrapped present she had opened, the silent exchange of words caught everyone else's attention except for hers.

She placed all of her books into a pile, asking me in a whisper if I could read them to her tonight. Her little hand cupped around her mouth as she leaned to whisper in my ear. When she sat back down, I noticed that she nervously chewed on her lip, a small movement that I found absolutely adorable.

My lips formed into a crooked smile, her innocence refreshing. "Of course I will, little one," I said softly, kissing the top of her head.

Esme and Alice brought her to the center of the living room after a few minutes and began dressing her up. They put a white feather boa around her neck and a plastic tiara on her head, I even saw Alice dab some lipstick on her lips.

Along the wall by the stairs, there was a table with flowers and candles, a small record player set up in the middle. The scent from the flowers softly illuminated how Bella's blood smelled to me-not nearly as potent, but still there. Jasper made his way along the table to the record player and placed a large black disc on it.

Children's voices and music began playing through the speakers. Bella, Esme, and Alice sang along with song, dancing throughout the first floor of the house. A man's voice rose above the other children's, singing with them and giving directions for the game they were playing.

When the first side had finished, Jasper switched it over and they began the motion from where it had left off. They continued singing and dancing with a couple more records before lying down on the floor in a heap.

Bella was in between Esme and Alice, panting slightly and giggling.

_Now would be the perfect time to play your song for her. _Alice's thoughts flittered to me, excitement and coyness evident behind her words.

I sighed, meeting her gaze for a moment.

_This will be just what she needs to relax before her nap. She'll be just fine here while you get set up. _Her words left no room for hesitation or disagreement, which I thankfully knew would be fruitless.

So, as quietly as I could, I made my way to the music room. I slid back the piano cover and pulled back the stool to replace it with the bench that she could sit on. After running my fingers lightly over the keys a few times I gently called, "Bella. Can you come here, little one?"

Her feet padded across the floor, slowly nearing me.

And then, everything froze.

My body was rigid from the onslaught of Alice's vision as the scene we both became privy to played out, it nearly came too late. The sight of Bella's tears as she sat huddled in a little ball on the floor was all I needed to see before making my way to her.

Without a second thought, I ran into the kitchen and placed myself between Bella and Rosalie. Her body was in a defensive crouch and a venomous glare was in her eyes. A feral snarl erupted from deep in her throat, frightening Bella even more so.

Keeping my eyes fixated on Rose the entire time, I scooped Bella up into my arms and had her climb onto my back. "Don't let go of me, little one. I'm right here."

She wrapped her arms and legs around me as tightly as she was able and then buried her face in between my shoulder blades. Her little body trembled and convulsed as more tears wracked through her frame.

A growl rumbled in my chest, the only thing keeping me from ripping Rosalie apart being the little human clinging to my back and the fact that she was Emmett's wife. The rest of our family trickled into the room and formed a protective circle around us, looking back and forth between Rose and me as we continued to stare at each other.

No said a word at first, but everyone was on full alert, ready to pounce.

"Let's all take a moment to calm down here." Carlisle finally spoke up, his voice calm. "Rosalie, step back."

Her body remained frozen in her crouch, unwilling to move.

Just as I was about to force her back myself, Emmett wrapped his hands around the upper part of her arms and squeezed her lovingly. "It's alright, Rosie." The loving tone behind his words and the soft pressure of his lips against her temple surprised me. "Just breathe and step back with me." His hold stayed firmly around her as she slowly stood to her full height, the two of them backing off.

I didn't relax my stance, even though I could feel Bella beginning to calm down. Whatever had caused this reaction was completely unacceptable and I wasn't going to take any chances.

The only sounds that filled the room at that point were quiet whimpers still coming from Bella as her tears slowly stopped and the panting breaths from each of us.

Esme and Alice stood on either side of me, their thoughts filled with concern and confusing. I glanced to Alice briefly, watching as she replayed the vision in her head over and over, trying to figure out what had caused this to happen.

"Why is she still here? She's a human," Rosalie finally hissed.

Carlisle opened his mouth to speak, but Rosalie interrupted him. "She shouldn't be here. It's dangerous."

I fought back a snarl at those words. "She has nowhere else to go, no other family members that could take her in. We are her family now."

A calming wave passed through me and I caught Jasper's eye. _Don't do anything that you will regret, Edward. Think about Bella right now._

Emmett spoke soothingly to Rose, lifting her chin so that she was looking into his eyes. They seemed to be in their own world as he tried to calm her down.

_Maybe you should take Bella out of here, Edward. This is likely to be traumatizing for her and she'll need you. _Carlisle thought, keeping his focus on Emmett and Rosalie.

I gave a quick nod of my head, barely touching Alice and Esme's arms to let them know they could stand down. After a moment's hesitation, they both stepped aside to let me pass.

"She deserves more than this life, Edward." Rosalie's voice stopped me mid step, her words confirming my worst fears. "This isn't a world that a human belongs in or can thrive in. She will choose this and it's wrong."

Closing my eyes and pinching the bridge of my nose, I did what I could to calm myself down. She was right, her words piercing through to my dead heart. Resigning myself to the truth of her statement, my head lowered in defeat, I began heading toward the music room. "For once, Rosalie, you and I agree."

This had been a temporary arrangement to begin with and keeping her here because of my need to protect her was selfish. I had to do what was best for her.

Once we were in the music room and the door was shut, I pulled Bella off from my back and cradled her in my arms. Her cheeks were stained from tears, her eyes and nose red and puffy as she finally began to calm down.

"Are you alright, sweetheart?" I ran my hand along her back in a soothing motion, feeling the tension in her body slowly release.

Her only answer was a slight nod of her head as she continued to cling to me.

I did the only thing that I could; I rocked her slowly and rubbed her back more, humming her song.

Bella finally looked up at me as the sun began to get lower in the sky, her big brown eyes glazed over with tears. "Why?"

Sighing, I shook my head. "I don't really know, little one. She thinks that… you might be better off with another family. A steady family."

"No. You're family," Bella said forcefully, sitting up in my arms. "Mine."

I bit back a chuckle.

"Right? We are family?" She nervously chewed on her lip again.

"Yes, Bella. We are all a family." I pressed my lips to her forehead for a moment, letting her scent wash over me before pulling back quickly. "I still have one more present for you that I wasn't able to give. That is, if you would still like it."

Bella grinned, brightening up her reddened cheeks. "Please."

"Alright." I made my way to the piano and set her down on the bench. She looked up at me in wonder as I joined her and brought my fingers up to the keys, giving myself a moment before beginning to play.

It was a lullaby, describing what she meant to me and who she was. Even though I knew that Bella didn't understand what it meant, I could tell that she enjoyed the song, swaying to the music written especially for her.

The rest of the day was forgotten and it was just the two of us in that moment, nothing else mattered. Whatever else was decided, we would always have that.

* * *

_First off, I want to give another huge thank you to **CLHahny** for bidding on me and the next few chapters of this story in the New Moon Addition of the **Fandom Gives Back**. Thank you so much for your generosity hon, and I hope these chapters have been worth the wait._

_And I would also like to thank my partner in crime and venting buddy, **kyla713**, for jumping in an betaing this at the last minute for me. You truly are the best and I don't know what I'd do without you ***mwah***_

_There's one more pre-written chapter that I have for this story, but don't worry I won't be living it unfinished. I absolutely love these two and want to tell their story.**  
**_


	5. They Grow up So Fast

_I don't own Twilight. all Stephenie Meyer.

* * *

_

Chapter Five

They Grow up So Fast

After that day, Rosalie and I found that we had come to an understanding. Her feelings toward Bella had not changed, but she was finally able to put it aside enough to be around us. She was jealous of Bella's humanity, the freedoms that it afforded her, and that was something that she would have to deal with.

My desire was to do what was best for Bella and after Rosalie's breakdown, I knew that getting her away from us was just that. But, I was essentially selfish and couldn't find the strength to pursue such thoughts.

The hole that it left in me was too much to bear.

So, with time, I slowly blocked it out and spent my time focusing on each new life we started and school we enrolled in when enough time had passed, keeping my eyes focused on the good things that we had.

Watching Bella grow was fascinating to us all. It had been years since any of us had been able to witness such a process, and our heightened senses made it even more incredible to watch.

I was sure that she grew impatient with me, constantly marveling at the growth of her hair, the change in her features as they broadened and matured. She was breathtaking and witnessing the buildup to how she would eventually look as a young woman was enough to occupy my interests for another hundred years, and with the way time passed for us it very well could have been that long and I wouldn't have noticed.

Each new move required some forethought from Carlisle on what to tell Bella since we still hadn't told her about what we were. I feared her reaction as she reached an age where she could fully understand our explanation, that she would leave the moment the words left our lips and we'd never hear from her again.

The reasonable part of me knew that it would be for the best and that if it did happen that way, I would be able to let her go. It was what was best for her in the end. But, until that time came, I couldn't bring myself to do so.

Jasper and Emmett couldn't understand my fascination with Bella, and took every opportunity that they could to joke about it, but thankfully never pushed me on the issue. She seemed to be the missing link that our family needed, shaking up the monotony that our lives had become.

Our most recent move had been to London, the home of Carlisle's youth. We were all pleased to return, enjoying the peaceful atmosphere the countryside provided. Bella loved being in country that most of her favorite books had taken place in, but was having a difficult time adjusting to her new stage in life.

Adolescence was a time that we had all been through, but forgotten since the change. I could vaguely remember certain feelings, but there were very few of my human memories that had stayed with me.

I tried my best to comfort her when I could, but there were some things that only a mother could handle and she turned to Esme more and more. Though I could feel our relationship shifting and changing, I could never begrudge her the security she felt with her adopted mother or even Alice.

Her happiness and safety were the most important things to me.

When we had a three-day weekend from school, I decided to do something special with Bella and asked her if she had any plans. It amused me greatly that she worried our parents wouldn't let us go. So, making sure to keep it a surprise, I made a show of asking Carlisle and Esme if we could take a trip that Friday. She couldn't hide her shock when they agreed, only requesting that we be home in time for dinner.

I had already purchased our train tickets to Paris and the tickets we would need to tour The Louvre, excited at the chance to show her more of the city and art she had only read about.

So, the morning of our little outing, Bella came sleepily down the stairs. Her cheeks were warm and flushed, the scent of her blood just a little bit stronger because of that, and she nervously chewed on her lip. The clothes that she had on were not what she usually wore and I knew that it must have been Alice's doing.

Esme softly assured Bella that she looked perfect and kissed the top of her head, the smile on her face increasing. They went into the kitchen to find her something for breakfast, Bella's anxiety slowly disappearing.

_You know that she has a little crush on you. _Emmett thought, smugly. He was in the living room, flipping through the stations on the television.

I glanced down the hall, watching her interaction with Esme and Carlisle as she daintily ate her breakfast. "You're wrong, Em. She couldn't possibly."

He arched an eyebrow at me, barely looking up from the screen to acknowledge that I had spoken. _Oh really? Haven't you noticed how shy she behaves around you? The blushing, the increase in her heartbeat, the fidgeting. She's got it bad. _He chuckled.

A low growl rumbled in my chest. "Don't speak about her that way. She is a child, but she has more sense than that," I warned.

Emmett held up his hands in surrender, shaking his head at me. _I'm only stating the obvious. Maybe you're not as observant or attuned to her as you think you are._

I opened my mouth to retaliate, ready to rip him limb from limb, when I was interrupted by Jasper.

He sent a wave of emotion through me that nearly knocked me to my knees. It was subtle and sweet, a selfless love that was unlike anything I had experienced in all of my years. _That's what I've felt from her from the beginning. The connection that the two of you have is remarkable. I've never seen anything like it. _

Even though I was capable of thinking of many things at once, my mind seemed incapable of taking in what they had just shared with me. The only thing that I could surmise before she finished eating and came into the room was that, somehow, they were mistaken.

She was my little human, the small child that had helped me feel human again. The idea of her truly loving a monster like me was ludicrous and impossible. Not her.

Ignoring their continued questions in my head and the pointed stares they gave me, I asked Bella if she was ready to go and then led her out to the car.

~~β~~ ~~β~~ ~~β~~

Our trip to Paris was spent in silence, Bella staring out of the window and watching the scenery pass by. She relaxed when we got to the station and I told her where we were headed.

The entire morning, it felt as though everyone was preparing us for a date. Even though they knew I could not view Bella that way, and refused to consider making her one of us, I couldn't shake the feeling that they were all in on something. It was as though they were trying to open my eyes, to open her eyes, to what was right in front of us.

I shook my head, ridding my mind of those thoughts, and chuckled at the notion.

"What?" Bella's gentle voice broke through my thoughts. Her brown eyes were wide and expressive, watching me with curiosity. She had never been good at keeping her emotions hidden, but that was what I loved about her. She was so open and honest, so innocent.

"There is one place that I want to take you when we arrive, but," I couldn't help smirking at the way her eyes lit up, "since we will have a little time before we need to be there, why don't you choose are first destination?"

Her mouth opened and closed a couple of times, obviously shocked by the suggestion. "Me? I've never been… I wouldn't know where to go."

"Bella," I kept my voice low and soothing in an attempt to relax her. "Do you trust me?"

She nodded her head slowly.

"You don't have to pick a tourist location or a trendy restaurant. We can find a map at the station and just pick one location that sounds interesting to you." I watched her expression as I spoke, worry and fear passing over her features.

Neither of us spoke for a while, I wanted to let my words sink in and give her time to adjust to the idea. Her little hands sat in tight fists on her lap, her entire body rigid and tense as she thought over my suggestion. When she was finally ready to speak, I watched as her body slowly loosened from the rigidity it had been in previously.

Even though her voice was barely above a whisper, I could hear her as clearly as though she was speaking at a normal decibel. "Are you sure?"

"Yes, little one." I used my favorite term of endearment for her and grinned at pleasure dancing across her warm eyes. "It will be fun."

There was another moments silence before she finally whispered, "Okay."

I gave a nod of acknowledgement that I heard her and went back to staring out the window as she had. My little human, she was a mystery to me and yet I could read her like an open book. What she was feeling at that moment was always clearly written across her face, but what she was thinking was not as visible to figure out.

Something told me that I could spend an entire lifetime trying to figure out the way her mind works and never come close. But, I was willing to take that chance.

When the train finally pulled to a stop, I glanced over at Bella and saw her eyes alight with mischievousness. I let her lead us out of the car and to the front of the station, following behind with my hand resting on her back. Her body trembled with excitement and her legs bounced every few steps.

I held back my laughter as she took in the sights around her, experiencing France for the first time. She looked all around the station, taking in the architecture and people that filled the building, and nearly tripped over an errant suitcase. Before she could injure herself, I reached my arms out and pulled her body close.

"Please watch where you are going, Bella. I may find your clumsiness amusing, but I highly doubt the Parisians will agree with me," I teased. The delicate shade of pink that colored her cheeks at my words caused the scent of her blood to flood my nostrils. I closed my eyes, ignoring the flames that had erupted in my throat and fighting back the natural instinct to feed. It was in those moments that I found resisting the siren call her blood was to me more difficult than normal.

Releasing my hold on her, Bella stepped back from me. She kept her eyes on mine for a few more minutes before finally making her way outside. I listened for her heartbeat as she left my side, slightly muffled by the glass doors.

She practiced her French, shyly asking vendor how much one of his maps cost.

I quietly stood where I was, giving Bella the time she needed to look over the map she had paid for and decide where she wanted us to go. Helping her to find confidence in herself was oddly satisfying.

After a few minutes had passed, I made my way outside and smiled when I saw her sitting on a bench, twirling a lock of hair around her finger and chewing on the corner of her lip. She jumped when I sat down next to her, reaching her hand to her mouth and gasping in shock.

"How do you always do that?" she groaned.

"What?" I asked nonchalantly.

"Appear out of nowhere. You do it all the time," she said with a huff of annoyance. "Everyone does for that matter, even Mom and Dad sometimes, as well."

"It's not my fault that you are unobservant, little one." I grinned, feeling my mouth form into a crooked smile.

Her returning glare could be seen as anything but angry and I did my best to fight back the shuddering laughter that wanted to come out. She reminded me of a furry little woodland creature that humans seemed to fawn over; adorable and innocent and unable to truly frighten someone when ready to attack or defend.

When I was sure that her anger had abated, I pointed to the map that was resting on her lap. "Have you decided where you would like us to go before it's time for my surprise?"

She quickly nodded her head and pointed to a spot that was a few blocks from the Louvre. "It's a music store and across the street there's a small café that we can stop at, too. You don't really have any French music, so I thought it might be fun to pick some out. Maybe get something for Mom and Dad."

"That sounds perfect," I assured her. "I knew that you would do just fine." I kissed the top of her head.

"Come on then." She rose to her feet and held her small hand out to me. "We wouldn't want to waste the day away, now would we?"

I couldn't help laughing at that, my head falling back and my body quaking in amusement. "No wouldn't want that." Standing to my feet, I put my arm around her shoulders. "Let's get going then."

~~β~~ ~~β~~ ~~β~~

Our day was going smoothly, just as I had hoped. We stopped at the café and Bella got a hot chocolate to-go, drinking it as we wandered through the music store. Her eyes would grow wide when she recognized some of our favorite classical musicians and a catch in her heartbeat let me know that she found an album that she particularly liked.

I made notes of the ones that specifically caught her attention and planned to purchase them when we finished at the museum.

The Louvre.

If I thought that she had been ecstatic when we first arrived in Paris, it was nothing compared to her realization that we were going to spend the day in that establishment. She squealed and giggled, wrapping her arms tightly around my neck as she jumped up and down.

We explored a few exhibits, Bella reading about each piece we looked at, her inquisitive and observant nature a marvel to see.

Eventually, I asked Bella to pick out her favorite piece that we had seen so far.

She stood, thoughtful, before turning and making her way through the halls and people that we had passed earlier. After walking for about five minutes, we came to a stop in front of a painting by Ary Scheffer. It was one that I knew well, depicting a scene from _The Divine Comedy;_ a peculiar choice for Bella to make.

"This is your choice?" I asked her softly.

"Yes," she answered succinctly, nodding her head. "Shades of Francesca da Rimini and Paolo Malatesta appear to Dante and Virgil," she spoke softly, translating the title from the plaque. Her eyes remained focused on the painting in front of her, moving back and forth over the images and colors.

I stood next to Bella, looking over the painting as well, giving her a few moments to study it before asking her questions. "Tell me about it?"

She bit her lip in concentration, raising her hand up to motion at the picture. "The background and the two men near the back are dark, almost blending into the rest. Francesca and Paolo are brighter, more the focal point."

"What is it about this that appeals to you?" I asked her, genuinely curious.

"They are obviously in love, she's holding onto him and he has an arm draped over her, but yet they are hurting and torn apart. He has his other arm wrapped in the sheet they're lying in and is pressing it to his forehead," she explained. "They want each other, need each other, but can't be together."

"Do you know the story behind this?" I asked her, watching as she shook her head and lifted her eyes to mine. "It's from Dante's work. Francesca was married to his brother, Giovanni. When Giovanni witnessed the lovers together, he killed them with his sword. See the cuts the artist put on each of them?"

Her attention was quickly brought back to the painting. She narrowed her eyes as she scanned it and then began nodding her head when she found it. "Yeah, his is across the top of his chest and hers on the back of her shoulder, as though she was in front of him or something when it happened."

Even though I found her attention to detail and her observance quite impressive, it worried me that perhaps she was far too observant for her own good. For a child so young, she saw things that most her age couldn't understand. Her analysis of the painting frightened me at how accurately she proclaimed it.

"They are star-crossed. He loves her, but is fighting it," she murmured. "He doesn't want to cause her pain or lose her. She is wholeheartedly his."

My entire body froze at those words and I knew instantly that Emmett and Jasper had been correct this morning. From the slight quickening of her pulse and the darting glances she made to me, I had no doubt that she was trying to gauge my reaction.

How could I possibly respond to that? Up until just a few minutes before I had been absolutely certain that the prospect of her having feelings for me in any way was completely ridiculous.

A thousand different scenarios played through my mind, each one reminding me that no matter what I did, Bella would end up hurt.

"Why are they there, though?" Bella pointed to the two men in the back corner of the painting, observing the scene between Francesca and Paolo, her voice breaking me from my thoughts.

I tried my best to pull myself together, not wanting to alarm her as to my mood. "They are all dead. Both Francesca and Paolo have been reunited and in the background, Dante and Virgil are watching the results."

Bella turned her gaze to me then, her brown eyes wide and innocent, unspoken questions ready to be asked. She didn't say another word, looking over the piece of art in front of her after discussing our observations.

This was wrong.

She was my little human.

The small child I found alone in the snow.

She was fragile and innocent and deserved more than this life.

My selfishness at not wanting to give up the fascinating creature was now coming to light. I couldn't let this continue.

What I needed to do would not be easy, but I had to at least try. For her sake.

~~β~~ ~~β~~ ~~β~~

Our journey back to London was quiet, Bella sleeping in the car as I drove us home from the train station. I kept waiting for Alice's thoughts to invade mine, for her to insist that I was being selfish and cruel, but nothing came. She was eerily silent.

There was no doubt that she had seen a vision of what I had planned to do and the resulting consequences, but she never said a word.

Before we left Paris, I stopped at the music store and purchased the albums I knew that she wanted. If our time together wasn't going to end on a good note, I at least wanted to leave her with some good memories.

No one spoke when we arrived home and I was grateful.

I needed time to come to terms with what I was going to do.

Esme carried Bella's sleeping form up to bed, taking the shopping bags as well.

The rest of the family seemed to be gathered in the family room, aimlessly perched on different pieces of furniture and not really watching the television. I sat on the couch beside Carlisle and allowed my mind to wander, playing over the different scenarios of how exactly to tell Bella what we were.

It was time.

We fought our natural instincts, fought the call that blood had for us so that we wouldn't be monsters. Every day was a struggle, but became easier with time. This wasn't what any of us would have chosen, but we tried to make the best of it.

How could I possibly explain that to Bella, though? She was just a child, young and innocent, and this was a difficult thing to believe, let alone understand. Her natural instincts would tell her to get as far from us as possible, to leave and never look back. Though it would hurt, I would do anything to help her, to make sure that she was safe.

The very thought that she would look at me with unfathomable disgust once she realized exactly what I was and the things that I had done was almost too much to bear. My chest ached and my throat burst into flames.

_Would you like us to talk to her with you? It might make things a bit easier for the both of you. _Carlisle offered. An image flashed across his mind of he and Esme comforting Bella if the conversation became too much for her.

I shook my head minutely, but I knew that he saw the motion. Having them there would only make having to tell her more difficult.

No, this had to be just us. I owed her that much.

So I sat with my family through the evening while Bella slept soundlessly upstairs, the soft thump of her heartbeat the only thing keeping me calm. I would miss that sound and her wonderful scent, though it had been agonizing at first, I couldn't imagine living without it.

Jasper sent a wave calming emotions through me as the sun began to lighten the sky, the morning hour creeping forward at slow pace. I gave him a nod of thanks, thankful for the few moments of peace.

It wasn't until mid-morning that I was finally able to pull Bella aside to speak with her. She had come down the stairs yawning and rubbing her eyes, while still groggy, ate a bowl of cereal. She then sleepily curled up on one of the couches with Esme and Alice to watch the TV as she woke up.

Once she had changed her clothes and seemed to be more fully awake, I asked her if she would like to take a walk with me. Bella agreed and we left through the back door of the house, walking toward a small wooded area. The path we walked down was cobblestone and lead to a beautiful bridge that crossed over a river.

I moved at a slower, human pace for Bella, keeping an eye on her in case she found the one unsecure part of the bridge to trip over. She stopped when we made it about halfway down, leaning over the top and looking out at the scenery.

The smile that lit up her face was warm and gentle, the glow from the sun lighting up her features as she gazed out at water.

"Do you remember the day that we found each other?" I asked, keeping my eyes focused in front of me, but maintaining my focus on her physical reaction to my question.

She shrugged her shoulders. "Not very much. I remember being very cold and crying, my birth parents wouldn't wake up and I couldn't understand why." A breeze picked up, blowing Bella's hair slightly around her face. "Then I remember you bringing me someplace warm, keeping me safe."

I nodded my head in response, listening to the movement of the animals around us in the woods, birds, squirrels, even deer further off into the distance. The thrumming of the pulses was continuous as they went about their day, searching for water and sustenance.

"What do you remember about our family, when you were first with us?"

Bella's body tensed at that question, her pulse quickening and her muscles tightening. "Just that I felt at home when I was with all of you. Rosalie frightened me, but then again, she still does." She turned her attention to me. "Why are you asking me about that time?" Her question was simple, but laced with fear. Her voice trembled as she spoke.

I wasn't certain how to respond to her question, so I remained quiet.

"You-you're not thinking of getting rid of me, are you? Mom and Dad don't want me anymore?"

"Absolutely not, Bella. That couldn't be the farthest thing from the truth." How could she possibly think such a thing? Carlisle and Esme loved her as though she were their very own.

"Then why are you being so cryptic, Edward. Asking me strange questions and being so distant. I don't understand what's going on?" Again, her voice trembled and her heart skipped a beat, fear trembling its way through her petite frame.

Groaning inwardly, I tried to figure out a different way to go about this. Upsetting her wasn't going to make getting through this any easier. When I chanced a glance in her direction and saw tears spilling down her cheeks, I pulled her into my arms and held her against my chest.

My poor little human. She was still so young and didn't understand.

When her breathing began to slow down and her heart steadied, I spoke again.

"No one is going to send you away, little one," I assured her. "I was asking those questions… because there are some things about us that you don't know and I believe that is time that you do." Releasing her from my grasp, I stepped back from her and leaned against the railing of the bridge again.

Bella chewed on her bottom lip, considering what I had said before she spoke. "What don't I know? You are my family. You've sheltered and clothed me when my parents no longer could. What more do I need to know?"

"That is exactly why I need to tell you this, Isabella. There is too much that you just don't understand." I found my temper rising as I spoke, frustrated at the naivety of her statement. Perhaps humans were smart to maintain that ignorance was bliss, it had obviously kept my little human happy. But, I couldn't allow that to continue with a good conscience when it put her at risk.

"What is it? You aren't responsible for the death of my birth parents, are you?"

I shook my head, narrowing my eyes at her to show my annoyance.

"Then nothing else matters, Edward. I don't care."

"How can say that," I growled. "How can you possibly think that? When you have absolutely no idea what we are. What we are capable of, Bella." I fought to hold myself back, to keep the anger I felt rising out of the equation. "I have been so selfish, wanting to keep you for myself. I've stolen what normalcy you could have had by wanting you with me, with this family."

"You saved me. If you hadn't found me I would probably be dead," she whispered, flinching back from my outburst.

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I let out a long, slow breath. This was not going well, I needed to just say it; otherwise, I never would. "Haven't you noticed that we are not like other people? Our bodies are harder, almost stone like, and when have you ever seen us eat or sleep? Think about it, Bella. _I _am not human."

She shook her head, trying to understand what I had just said. "What do you mean?"

"The day that I found you, it wasn't by luck. I had been out hunting when I smelled your blood. It was unlike anything I had ever encountered in my existence."

Her silence about drove me mad. I wanted to be able to read her thoughts and understand what was going through her head.

"We are all vampires, except for you, of course," I finally continued. "At our very core we are monsters, vile creatures. Blood satiates us and we have all killed for it. I'm sorry to have brought you into this, little one."

"And my blood?" She finally managed to ask. "What did you mean when you mentioned the scent of my blood?"

"Your blood is the most enticing scent I have ever come across. Nothing else has compared to it." Closing my eyes again, I did my best to push back the images and longing of finally tasting it. Hurting her, killing her, was not an option. "It's taken all of my self-control not drink it."

Gentle fingers reached out and touched my forearm and I flinched.

How could she possibly want to touch me after everything I had just told her?

This was all too much.

"It's alright, Edward. Everything is going to be just fine," she cautiously tried to reassure me.

Opening my eyes and lifting my gaze to hers, I glared. "You can't know that, little one. Your life is in danger just being in close proximity to me."

She tucked her small frame up against mine, hugging me probably as tightly as her fragile human body would allow. "If you, or any of the others were going to hurt me, you would have done so a long time ago, Edward. I trust you, completely."

Her reaction… I couldn't understand it. This was not how she was supposed to respond. If she wasn't going to walk away from me, then I would have to do it myself. Even though it would probably kill me to live her behind, I would do it just keep her safe.

Neither of us spoke after that. I allowed Bella to stay in my embrace, reveling in her pure scent and memorizing her so that when I was gone, she would still be with me.

When I eventually heard Alice's thoughts in my head, I knew that it was time. "It's time to head home. I'm sure that Carlisle and Esme would like to speak with you about what you learned today," I told her, moving away from Bella so that we were no longer touching.

Momentary hurt flashed across her eyes when I let go of her, but she seemed to resolve herself to understanding, and began walking toward the house. She turned back to me when I made no move to follow her.

"I'll be right behind you, little one," I promised.

She nodded, a small smile spreading across her lips before she turned to leave.

I listened as she walked, holding myself back each time that she tripped. When I was certain that she had returned safely and was speaking with Esme, I pulled a cell phone from the pocket of my slacks and pressed one of the speed dial buttons. It ran twice before the person on the other line eventually answered.

"Hello, Edward."

"Good afternoon, Maggie. I was wondering if I could ask a favor of you?"

* * *

_A huge thank and hugs to **CLHahny** for bidding on me in the New Moon addition of **FGB**. She has been incredibly patient waiting for these chapters. Thank you so much for your generosity and for giving me the push that I needed to continue working on this particular story! _

_Here is the link to the painting mentioned on their trip to the Louvre: _**http:/www . louvre . fr/llv/oeuvres/detail_notice . jsp?CONTENT%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673403626&CURRENT_LLV_NOTICE%3C%3Ecnt_id=10134198673403626&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=9852723696500815&fromDept=false&baseIndex=29**

_Thanks also to my partner in crime **kyla713** for jumping in as beta again for this chapter. You are absolutely fabulous bb and I don't know what I'd do without you ***mwah***_

_For anyone who reads **The Family That stays Together**. I recently finished the next chapter and will be posting it in the next few days. ***shhh***_

_Also **TallulahBelle**, **Lady_QE**, and I have been co-hosting Enchantments, an amazing contest all about fantasy/supernatural stories. If you haven't had a chance to check them out then please do: _**http:/www . fanfiction . net/u/2504895/Enchantments_Contest **_Voting is running from now until October 29th._

_Oh, and you can follow me on Twitter if you'd like: **maganbagan **(the link is in my profile)  
_


End file.
